Paul Warne sent one of his Derby County players an emotional farewell note.
With a 2-0 victory over Carlisle United at Pride Park on Saturday, Derby guaranteed their return to the Championship.
The Rams have returned to the second division following a two-season hiatus, finishing in second place with 92 points.
31,000 spectators turned out to cheer the players home at what for some was their last farewell.
Max Bird, the first goal scorer, played his final game wearing a Derby shirt. He riffled home a fantastic left-footed attempt.
Paul Warne issues an emotional goodbye message to Max Bird
At sixteen, Bird made his Derby debut. Since then, he has made 200 appearances and has been a constant presence.
In League One, the 23-year-old has had a successful season, scoring six goals and dishing out seven assists from midfield.
Because of his performance, Bristol City decided to sign him during the January transfer window and then let him go back on loan to finish the season.
Following the conclusion of Bird’s final game for the team on Saturday, manager Paul Warne gave a heartfelt farewell speech.
“I’m incredibly happy for Birdy. He’s a wonderful child, a lovely person, and he genuinely wants to succeed, according to Warne.
There have always been rumors about specific players leaving while I’ve been here, and I knew with a sad heart that he would be playing football somewhere else in the summer.
After working at a club for a while, you occasionally need to spread your wings and take off. It was a difficult choice because Tommo has been playing so well, but I felt that Birdy would provide us with more of a goal threat because of his superb training and appearance.
“I’m a really emotional guy, so I did have a little cry inside when he scored,” the Derby manager went on. I am aware of how much this means to him and how important it is for him to end his time with this club on a high note. I told him how pleased I was of him when he came off. It was an appropriate conclusion—200 games, a fantastic goal, and it made my decision seem well-founded.
Now, focus is on the summer transfer window.
Now that the demanding 46-game season is over, Derby officials can focus on the Championship as the summer transfer window draws near.
With a staggering 15 players on the Rams’ roster without contracts, the next few months will be extremely hectic for the team.
Prioritizing getting in contact with Joe Wildsmith—who recently won the Golden Glove award—must come first.
Another player who needs a new contract is Conor Hourihane, so that needs to be taken care of right away because there will probably be many bidders for the pair.
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